The purpose of this study is to determine the safety and effectiveness of a multi-drug chemotherapy regimen in adult patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). We will use a regimen that is often used in pediatric patients and we will add drugs called PEG-asparaginase and E. coli asparaginase. PEG-asparaginase has been given as an injection in the past and has been used in treatment with both children and adults with ALL. Information from those other research studies suggests that intravenous PEG-asparaginase has been administered safely in both children and adults. We hope to gain more information about the participants disease and how it responds to standard chemotherapy drugs used to treat ALL>

To determine the feasibility, toxicity and efficacy of the high-risk pediatric treatment in adult patient 18 year of age or older. [ Time Frame: 3 years ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]

Secondary Outcome Measures:

To determine the complete response rate at the end of induction therapy. [ Time Frame: 2 years ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Disease-free survival, defined as the time from achieving a complete remission to the first of disease recurrence or death, will be estimated using Kaplan-Meier methods. [ Time Frame: 3 years ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Overall survival, defined as time from study entry to death from any cause, will be estimated using Kaplan-Meier methods. [ Time Frame: 3 years ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Induction: Intravenously on days 4 and 5. Consolidation 1A: Intravenously on day 1. CNS Therapy: Intravenously on day 1. Consolidation II: Intravenously day 1 of each cycle.

Drug: Cytarabine

Prophase: Intravenously on days 1-3. Induction: Intrathecal on days 15 or 18. Consolidation IB: Intravenously or subcutaneous on days 2-5 and 9-12. Consolidation IC: Intravenously every 12 hours starting on day 1 CNS Therapy: Intrathecal 4 times over 2 weeks. Consolidation II: Intrathecal once every 18 weeks Continuation: Intrathecal every 18 weeks

Drug: Methotrexate

Induction: Intravenously on day 6 and intrathecally on day 29 or 32. Consolidation IA: Intravenously on day 1 and intrathecally on Day 1 (prior to IV).

Consolidation IC: Orally on days 1-5 twice per day. Consolidation II: Orally on days 1-5 of each cycle. Continuation: Orally on days 1-5 of each cycle.

Drug: 6-MP

Induction: Orally on days 3-43 or 33-46. Consolidation IA: orally on days 1-14. Consolidation IB: orally on days 1-14. CNS Therapy: Orally on days 1-14. Consolidation II: Orally on days 1-14. Continuation: Orally on days 1-14 of each cycle.

Used for PH+ ALL subjects enrolled prior to May 1st 2011 only and is used continuously throughout every phase of treatment.

Drug: Etoposide

Consolidation IC: intravenously on days 3, 4 and 5 of this cycle.

Procedure: Radiation Therapy

Given during CNS Therapy either 8 or 10 daily treatments, on days 1-8 or 1-10, depending upon leukemia involvement in the CSF

Drug: E. coli Asparaginase

Intramuscularly Day 7 of Induction.

Experimental: Arm B

Failure to achieve complete remission after the Induction Phase

Drug: Doxorubicin

Induction: Intravenously on days 4 and 5. Consolidation 1A: Intravenously on day 1. CNS Therapy: Intravenously on day 1. Consolidation II: Intravenously day 1 of each cycle.

Drug: Cytarabine

Prophase: Intravenously on days 1-3. Induction: Intrathecal on days 15 or 18. Consolidation IB: Intravenously or subcutaneous on days 2-5 and 9-12. Consolidation IC: Intravenously every 12 hours starting on day 1 CNS Therapy: Intrathecal 4 times over 2 weeks. Consolidation II: Intrathecal once every 18 weeks Continuation: Intrathecal every 18 weeks

Drug: Methotrexate

Induction: Intravenously on day 6 and intrathecally on day 29 or 32. Consolidation IA: Intravenously on day 1 and intrathecally on Day 1 (prior to IV).

Consolidation IC: Orally on days 1-5 twice per day. Consolidation II: Orally on days 1-5 of each cycle. Continuation: Orally on days 1-5 of each cycle.

Drug: 6-MP

Induction: Orally on days 3-43 or 33-46. Consolidation IA: orally on days 1-14. Consolidation IB: orally on days 1-14. CNS Therapy: Orally on days 1-14. Consolidation II: Orally on days 1-14. Continuation: Orally on days 1-14 of each cycle.

Used for PH+ ALL subjects enrolled prior to May 1st 2011 only and is used continuously throughout every phase of treatment.

Drug: Etoposide

Consolidation IC: intravenously on days 3, 4 and 5 of this cycle.

Procedure: Radiation Therapy

Given during CNS Therapy either 8 or 10 daily treatments, on days 1-8 or 1-10, depending upon leukemia involvement in the CSF

Drug: E. coli Asparaginase

Intramuscularly Day 7 of Induction.

Detailed Description:

This study has several periods of treatment called phases and uses several different drugs in each phase. The drugs may be given by mouth, into a vein, or into the spinal fluid (called intrathecal chemotherapy). In some individuals this treatment helps prevent leukemia cells from coming back in the spinal fluid and brain. Radiation therapy will also be administered as part of this treatment regimen.

The participants treatment arm will depend on the status of their leukemia at the end of the induction therapy (the second phase of treatment). Arm A: all participants who achieve complete remission after Induction and Arm B: all participants who fail to achieve a complete remission after Induction.

Steroid Prophase: All participants are involved in this treatment phase which consists of two drugs, one given intravenously (IV) and one given intrathecally. This phase lasts 3 days and the purpose is to collect scientific data that might be useful in the future and to see how steroids work in treating leukemia

Induction: This phase begins immediately after the steroid prophase and lasts about 1 month. Induction is used to cause a remission. Eight drugs are used during this phase of treatment, and administration is either orally, IV or intrathecal. On day 29, participant's bone marrow and peripheral blood counts will be tested. If they have achieved complete remission or partial remission, they will proceed to the next phase of treatment. If they are not in complete remission, they will receive vincristine by IV on days 32, 39 and 46, until complete remission is achieved. If they do not achieve complete or partial remission by day 53 they will be removed from the study.

Consolidation I: This phase of treatment begins as soon as there is a documented confirmation that the participant's leukemia is either in complete or partial remission. Treatment in this phase lasts about 7 weeks and is intended to further reduce the number of leukemia cells in the body. This consolidation treatment consists of 3 phases: 1A, 1B and 1C. Each phase involves a three week cycle of chemotherapy. Arm A and Arm B will be assigned according to remission status after induction therapy and will determine the order that the participant follows the Consolidation phases.

Central Nervous System (CNS) Therapy: CNS therapy begins 3 weeks after the end of Consolidation I therapy and should last 3 weeks. Treatment includes a series of lumbar punctures with the administration of anti-leukemia drug as well as oral drugs and IV drugs. Radiation therapy will also be given during this phase of therapy. The purpose of radiation therapy is to prevent leukemia from coming back in the brain. Radiation therapy will be given in either 8 or 10 daily treatments.

Consolidation II Therapy: This phase begins as soon as CNS therapy ends and lasts about 27-30 weeks. It consists of cycles of chemotherapy repeated every three weeks along with IV PEG-asparaginase administered every 3 weeks. The cycles will be repeated until the participant receives a total of 10 doses of asparaginase.

Continuation Therapy: This phase begins after the end of the Consolidation II phase. The goal of this phase is to get rid of all leukemia in the body. It consists of cycles of chemotherapy repeated every three weeks and will last until the participant has been in remission for two years.

During all phases of treatment, participants will have tests and procedures to monitor their health and for research purposes.

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

18 Years to 50 Years

Genders Eligible for Study:

Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, excluding known mature B-cell ALL by the presence of any of the following: surface immunoglobulin, L3 morphology, t(8;14)(q24;q32), t(8;22), or t(2;8)

Age 18.00-50.99 years

Exclusion Criteria:

Prior anti-leukemic therapy except 1 week or less of steroids, and/or emergent radiation therapy to the mediastinum, or hydroxyurea or emergent leukopheresis

Known HIV positive

Secondary ALL

Pregnant or breast feeding women

Patients with an active psychiatric or mental illness making informed consent or careful clinical follow-up unlikely

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00476190